Vernon Dale Welch was born July 4, 1942, in La Crosse, Wisconsin to John and Verna (Mulder) Welch.  He went to meet his Lord and Savior on September 23, 2023, while in Minneapolis Minnesota.  Vern moved to Lincoln, Nebraska with his family in 1952.  He graduated from Lincoln High in 1960.  He then immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served the United States for three years, one year of which was spent in Korea.  After his service, Vern returned making Lincoln his home.

On February 25, 1965, he united in marriage to Linda Criswell.  They were married for 58 years.  In 1980, Vernon, Linda, and their family moved to Beaver Crossing.  Vern was a hard worker, who spent the majority of his career as a truck driver for Sunrise Express, and even had his own trucking company for several years called "Tranquil Valley Trucking."  In 2008 he retired and joined his wife Linda in Washington State.  While there he came out of retirement to drive for Pierce County Transit.  In 2011 they moved back to their home in Beaver Crossing where he returned to work for Sunrise Express until his true retirement in 2019.

Vern, first and foremost, loved the Lord.  He gave his heart to God at a Billy Graham Crusade in 1964.  For several years Vernon was a member of the Gideons, and an adult Sunday School Teacher at Milford Assembly of God.  He also went on mission trips to both Mexico, and Mardi Gras, and for many years, enjoyed teaching at a jail ministry every Sunday night.  Vern had an insatiable thirst for knowledge.  In his younger years, Vern loved motorcycles, even traveling to Sturgis and Talladega.  Vernon was a beloved father not only to his own 4 children, but he and his wife Linda opened their home to over 36 foster children.  Vern had an uplifting spirit and a never-ending sense of humor.  He loved to make people laugh.

Vernon was preceded in death by his mother and father; brothers, Larry and Fred; sisters, Bonnie and Olvetta; niece, Carolyn Maxwell.

He is survived by his wife Linda; sons, Richard (Deb) Welch of Lincoln, Jay (Andrea) Welch of Ord, Doug (Denise) Welch of Beaver Crossing; daughter, Jennifer (Alex) Lopez of Bellevue, WA; foster son, Jesse Miller of Lincoln; brother, John (Marie) Welch of Cortland, NE; brother-in-law, Bob Parks of Fairfax Station, Virginia; sister-in-law, Deb Welch of Lincoln; grandchildren, Eric, Heather, Lindsay, Clayton, Emily, Ben, Preston, Dylan, Tyler, Daniel, Dillon, Thomas, and Drey.